It is a pervasive and common problem that there is no way to efficiently and accurately measure media audience demographics. Companies currently use paper diaries to collect demographic data in mid-size United States television markets. Some companies are now starting to replace this method with a new “Viewer Assignment” method. This method uses a probability-of-viewing model based on look-alike homes within the area.
The problem with the viewer assignment method is that there is no accuracy in measuring the specifics of which viewers are in front of the television or radio at any given time. Companies, such as Nielsen, for example, have been losing their MRC (Media Rating Council) accreditation for this part of the data.
Other companies that continued to use the diary-only method also lost their accreditation for local TV ratings after the MRC found the company had not mailed enough of the diaries to households to generate what it considers a sufficient sample size.
Likewise it is problematic to measure such viewing if the content is being delivered by traditional antenna, cable, satellite, streaming, Roku etc. Even more, each content provider, broadcaster, and re-transmitter needs their own individual audience ratings to properly invoice clients.
The present invention solves these disadvantages as it has a code for each program, each delivery media and each content. These codes are all received by a personal smartphone or tablet and, therefore, can be continuously monitored and recorded.